The present invention relates to a connector for attaching a flexible printed board to a printed circuit board. The flexible printed board is connected to electronic components such as a liquid crystal display and the like. More specifically, the present invention provides a connector having positioning and anchoring means which enable attachment of a component and a printed circuit board without having to simultaneously maintain the positions of the electronic component and the main printed circuit board.
A flexible printed board is made of a flexible connection cable and a board having a plurality of connection terminals formed on one end of the board. The flexible printed board is connected to electronic components, such as liquid crystal displays and the like, via a number of connection wires. The flexible printed board connects the electronic component and the main printed circuit board using a variety of connection terminals formed on the end part of the flexible printed board. For example, in cellular telephones, to attach a small liquid crystal display to a main printed circuit board, a flexible printed board comes out of the liquid crystal display and is inserted into a flat cable connector, which has been soldered in advance to a main printed circuit board. Next, the liquid crystal display and the main printed circuit board are connected electrically. Finally, the liquid crystal display is anchored to the main printed circuit board.
Referring to FIG. 12, a prior art example is shown. In the prior art, a flexible printed board 100 is made of a flexible material that can be bent without breaking. One end is anchored by soldering or the like to an electronic component (not shown), such as a small liquid crystal display and the like. A connection terminal part 101 is formed on the other end of the flexible printed board.
A flat cable connector 102 includes: a housing 103, a contact 104 and a cover 105. The housing 103 is a case. The contact 104 is inserted inside the housing 103 in advance. The cover 105 is attached to one side of the housing. An opening 109 is made on one side of the housing 103. The cover 105 is inserted into the opening 109 and is freely detachable therefrom.
On one end of the contact 104 is a terminal 107, which can be soldered to a main printed circuit board 106. A terminal part 108 is located on the other end of contact 104 and contacts connection terminal part 101 of flexible printed board 100 inside housing 103. As a result, main printed circuit board 106 and flexible printed board 100 are connected at contact 104. A plurality of contacts 104 may be arranged in a row and anchored inside the housing 103 such that a terminal part 108 is positioned on an opening 109 side of the housing 103 and the terminal 107 protrudes from the side opposite the opening 109 side. Terminals 107 of contacts 104 arranged in a row and anchored inside flat cable connector 102 in this way, are soldered onto a specified position on the main printed circuit board 106. As a result, a flat cable connector 102 is anchored to the main printed circuit board 106.
Next, the connection terminal part 101 of flexible printed board 100 is inserted from opening 109 of flat cable connector 102, and cover 105 is pushed inside opening 109. The connection terminal part 101 is pressed against terminal part 108 of contact 104 by cover 105. As a result, the connection terminal part 101 of the flexible printed board and the terminal part 108 of the contact 104 are pushed into contact and anchored and connected. Terminal 107 of contact 104 is attached to main printed circuit board 106 by soldering. As a result, flat cable connector 102 and main printed circuit board 106 become connected.
In this configuration, the top of the main printed circuit board 106 is crowded. In addition, many other components are attached at the position where the liquid crystal display (not show) is to be anchored. As a result, the prior art configuration poses problems such as a small working space and difficulty in attaching a flexible printed board 100 to a flat cable connector 102 of a main printed circuit board 106 by pushing in cover 105.
Furthermore, inserting flexible printed board 100 into flat cable connector 102 of main printed circuit board 106 must be conducted without moving the position of the liquid crystal display (not shown). As a result, the liquid crystal display (not shown) and the main printed circuit board 106 must be handled simultaneously. This makes the connection difficult and time consuming.
Considering these problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector, wherein, connecting electronic components having flexible printed board components such as liquid crystal displays and the like to a main printed circuit board, is made easier. The attachment operation is conducted without spending a large amount of operation time.
Briefly stated, the present invention is a flat cable connector having at least one contact body. Each contact body is formed from a bent plate body and has a terminal part and a circuit board contact part. The terminal part of the contact has a u-shape for contacting a flexible circuit board. The circuit board contact part has a flexible curved end for contacting a main circuit board. A housing case is positioned around the at least one contact body and has openings on at least one side. The openings are positioned to expose part of the contact body and include an insertion hole and a contact hole. The insertion hole provides access for a connection terminal part of a main circuit board to the circuit board contact parts of the contact body. The contact hole provides access for a flexible circuit board to the terminal parts of the contact body. A moveable cover fits loosely in the insertion hole and anchors the flexible circuit board to the terminal parts of the contact body to form an electrical connection. A device on the side of the housing facing the main circuit board positions the flat cable connector with the main circuit board to enable the circuit board contact part of the contact body to make electrical contact with connection terminal parts of the main circuit board. A device on the component side of the housing positions and anchors the flat cable connector to the component.
In an embodiment of the invention, the curved end of the circuit board contact bodies have curved ends which protrude from the insertion hole and are deformed when the main circuit board is pressed against them.
In another embodiment of the invention, a flat cable connector is provided where the devices on the side of the housing used to position the flat cable connector with the main circuit board or the component is a boss designed to fit a corresponding boss hole on the main circuit board or component, respectively.
The action of the present invention is described below.
A flexible printed board is inserted into the flat cable connector through an insertion hole of a housing. When the flexible printed board is inserted a cover is pushed into the insertion hole. The cover being pushed into the insertion hole forces the flexible printed board and the terminal part of the contact to come into contact.
A positioning means provided on the housing and a positioning means provided on a main printed circuit board are joined. Once the main printed circuit board and the housing are in position, a circuit board contacting part of the contact which protrudes from the contact hole of the housing can contact the main printed circuit board at a specified position.
The positioned housing is pushed against the main printed circuit board. The circuit board contact part, which protrudes from the housing, has elastic properties. While being pressed into contact with the main printed circuit board, the circuit board contact part recedes so that it is flush with the housing. After being joined in this manner, the main printed circuit board and the housing are in tight contact. The housing is thus anchored to the main printed circuit board. In this way, the flexible printed board and the main printed circuit board are connected via the flat cable connector.
The positioning means provided on the housing may be formed as a boss protruding from the housing surface. The positioning means provided on the main printed circuit board may be a boss hole formed on the surface of the main printed circuit board. The housing and main printed circuit board are anchored by inserting the boss into the boss hole. With this design, the main printed circuit board and the housing are anchored by joining the boss and the boss hole. w of the first embodiment.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.